Captive Hearts
by KryptoniteMistress
Summary: Set in Season 10: Chloe is taken prisoner and everyone else tries to get her back. CHLEX/TOLLIE/CLOIS!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! In honor of the premiere of the final season of "Smallville" in a few hours, I thought I'd post this story I thought up. Enjoy! :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or anything associated with it, and no profits are gained from this.  
**

Chapter 1

She could not believe it. She could not believe how he could just stand there and accuse her like that. Looking at her like she was some vile creature that needed to be dealt with.

"Tess," he said to her. "Are you ever going to give me an explanation?"

As Oliver Queen stood stiffly in front of Tess Mercer and accused her of kidnapping Chloe Sullivan, his girlfriend, her only response was to freeze up and stare off into space, trying to hold back the tears that were forming. Apparently that was not good enough for Oliver.

He slowly approached her, but her position remained the same. "Tess, listen to me," he spoke quietly but sternly. "If you took Chloe-"

"I didn't," she managed to whisper, still not making eye contact.

She hated more than anything that it had come down to this. From the powerful connection they had when they first met, to this present moment. Him thinking the worst of her, and giving him good reason to.

She was finally able to muster up enough energy to let out a deep breath and look at him.

"What reason would I have for taking Chloe, Oliver?"

"I don't know, Tess," Oliver replied, throwing his hands up, "but this has Checkmate written all over it."

That was like taking a bullet. But of course, she was not going to let him know that. "So you automatically assume I'm involved somehow?"

Oliver shrugged. "You said yourself there's no way of getting out of Checkmate."

"That doesn't mean I would do something like this ever again. Oliver, I told you I didn't want any part of that anymore. Not after the mistakes I've made."

"Well I really hope that's true, Tess. Otherwise you'll have me to answer to."

"Look," she shot back at him. Now she was getting angry. "You need to get out of my home if you are going to just stand there and threaten me for something I didn't do."

He could tell he was not going to get any further with her, so he nodded his head and left.

That's when the water works had started. Why did he have this effect on her? She felt angry, hurt, and completely vulnerable. And she had spent so much time building up walls to protect her against such emotions. But no matter what, she knew she wanted to try and make things right with Oliver. Once the steam blew off.

* * *

Oliver knew that Lois and Clark were going to Watchtower to find any clues about Chloe may be. He headed there to see if they had found anything out. And, he had to admit, to distract himself. Tess seemed to be the only person who had this effect on him. To wrack his nerves so much he couldn't even keep his thoughts on track. And he could not feel that way.

He walked into Watchtower and found his two friends there, seeming to be hard at work.

"Any luck?" he asked upon entering.

"We managed to get through some of the files Chloe had on Checkmate," Lois replied, "but there are still some firewalls up we are trying to get around."

"Yeah, she really knows how to be protective," Clark said. "Did you talk to Tess?"

"Yeah," Oliver responded, "and as expected, she told me nothing."

Lois let out a frustrated sigh. "Great, so now what?" she asked.

"Maybe we should consider another possibility," Clark suggested.

"What? Why?" Lois demanded as she continued rummaging through the computer files. When he said this, she turned around to face her boyfriend. "You were so set on Tess being the culprit."

"And I still think she is," he explained as Lois went back to work, "I just want to keep exploring other options to find her faster."

"Hold that thought, Smallville," Lois said, focused on a computer screen. "I may have found something."

"What is it?" Clark asked urgently, also turning toward the screen.

"Well, it turns out Checkmate has a database that contains footage from the Luthor mansion."

"So if we can get in there-" Clark started.

"We can see if Tess made any arrangements to take Chloe," Lois finished for him, always being one step ahead. She started playing around the with the computer keys. "Oh, crap," she said as a beeping sound rang from the screen. "We need a code to get in."

"Well how are we going to get that?" Oliver asked.

"I could tell you."

They all turned around to see who the new voice in the room belonged to.

"Tess, what are you doing here?" Oliver asked coldly.

"I figured you would be here trying to search for Chloe. I wanted to make things right between us, Oliver. I want you to trust me again."

Her tone was vulnerable and sincere, but Oliver was not about to give into it. "I don't think I'll ever be able to, Tess," he quickly shot back, no sense of compassion in his voice.

"But I can help you," she rebuttled.

"Help with what, Tess? Getting Chloe back when you took her in the first place? You'd probably make it look like someone else did it so that you'd come out looking like the hero. Well I'm not falling for that."

It was a low blow, and he knew it. But he would not give her the satisfaction of thinking they were on good terms. He still felt bad deep down inside though, for he could barely stand to look at her, knowing the pain he was inflicting.

"Oliver," Tess said, clearly hurt. As she simply stood there staring at him, he still was determined to show her that he didn't care.

"Look, Tess," Lois chimed in. "I know Ollie, and he's a pretty good judge of character. So if he has his suspicions about you, they're probably right. So why don't you just show yourself out instead of wasting our time?"

Tess turned to Clark for a last means of support. "Is this how you all feel?"

Clark paused a moment before responding. "Maybe we would just be better off finding Chloe on our own."

"Fine," Tess snapped, "but don't blame me when you figure out you've been searching in the wrong direction." And without any further glances at Oliver, she exited.

* * *

Chloe Sullivan currently was waking up in what appeared to be a very lavishly decorated bedroom. There was a vanity in a corner with a big mirror, the most expensive looking drapes she had ever seen, and the bed was so large and soft she actually felt like she could lay there forever.

"Where the hell am I?" she asked herself as she sat up, taking in her new surroundings.

At that moment the door opened and a male figure stepped into the room. He was tall and broad and wore a black uniform, resembling some sort of security guard.

"I see you are awake," the man said. His tone was deep and cold as stone, mimicking his posture. "I will go let the boss know," he continued. With that, he exited the room.

Chloe was still dumbfounded as she remained where she was, staring around. Two more minutes passed and someone else had stepped through the doorway.

When Chloe got a look at the other person in the room she was shocked beyond belief. She was stunned, upset, yet glad all at the same time. She knew this person was her captor at once, and that she was going to be in for a whirlwind soon. She was in such a stupor that she could only utter one word.

"Lex?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As Lex began to step closer to her, Chloe backed up on the bed. "Oh my God," she finally let out. "I thought you were-"

"Dead?" he finished. Then he let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I figured that. But do you really think I would be foolish enough to fall for one of Queen's antics?"

Chloe was still lost. "So, where exactly have you been all this time? Here?…Wherever here is?"

"I've been running my own plot for demise since my untimely departure," he replied. He sat down at the foot of the bed, only inches from Chloe. "You see, it all worked out perfectly. After I left Smallville, I cloned myself so that I could lay low and do what I needed to do. And when it was murdered, it gave me even more space for freedom, since people thought I merely ceased to exist."

Seeing him so close to her after all this time felt strangely surreal to Chloe. Sure she had not had the highest opinion of Lex when she last saw him, but there was something about seeing someone in front of you that you thought you would never see again…

"What exactly are you plotting?" she asked, still choking on her words, "and how am I involved?"

"All in due time, Chloe," Lex responded suavely. She did always admire his confidence.

"Well, you sure did put a lot of effort into my holding cell," she remarked, glancing around the room once more.

He gave her one of his small but charming smiles. "Only the best for you Chloe," he said. He scooted close enough to her to put his hand on top of hers. "Even when we weren't around each other as much I still always thought very highly of you."

Her first instinct was to pull away and try to run. But instead she just sat there, staring into his eyes and catching her breathe. It definitely wasn't the reaction she would have expected if she ever saw Lex again.

He must have noticed how uncomfortable she was growing because he took his hand off of hers. _Lex Luthor, always the gentleman_, she thought to herself.

"So, what have you been up to lately, Chloe?" he inquired curiously. "Last I heard you married Jimmy Olsen. Not the match I would've expected for you, but as long as you're happy…"

"Yeah, well, he was killed," she explained. She was never one to just willingly give up information, but for some reason, she felt different being here alone with Lex.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lex said, sincerity seemingly forced. "Is there anyone in your life now?"

She was not about to let it get that personal. However, Lex was very intuitive. "There is," he said, judging by the look on her face. "And you wouldn't care unless it was someone I know. Let's see, I highly doubt it's Clark Kent, so that leaves…Oliver Queen?"

When she did not respond, he took that as an answer. And he laughed in response to it. "Queen? Come on Chloe, who are you kidding?"

She rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I love him. Something you know nothing about."

As much as her words stung, Lex just laughed again. "No you don't. you love the idea of him. You're settling. It's safe and you won't get hurt. You deserve much better than him, trust me."

Chloe scoffed at him. "Easy for you to say, you hate Oliver."

"That may be, but I still know a right match when I see one."

Trying to get off of the subject, Chloe asked, "What about you? Where did you go when you left Smallville?"

"To an un-chartered island south of Fiji," he replied. "The same one we're on right now. When I figured out where was I went to the mainland to hire some people to work for me and build this lovely home. I decided to stay here since no one would find me."

"You always were thorough," she commented.

Lex was under the impression that Chloe was fascinated, and he wanted to run with that. "And you always liked that about me, didn't you?" he said, putting his hand on her knee.

She immediately wanted to smack it off, disgusted, and remind him that she was with Oliver. But she started feeling tingling sensations up her spine, and let him keep his hand there, staring into her eyes.

After three seconds she looked away. She could not let herself get caught up in moments like these. She needed to remember how she got there in the first place.

"Don't worry Chloe," he whispered into her hair, "I won't let anything bad happen to you. You're under my protection."

She turned back around to face him. "So then, why am I here?" she pressed again.

He stared blankly at her for a second. "I told you, I'll let you know when the time is right. When I need you."

_Need me, _she thought to herself. _What could he possibly need me for?_ Then it hit her. He needed her as leverage.

"Does this have anything to do with Clark? She asked, deciding not to beat around the bush.

He shook his head in fascination. "You know, it's funny," he observed. "In some ways you are no longer the girl I first met. And in others, you haven't changed a bit. You always were inquisitive, but I'm not answering any questions."

She was in awe of how charismatic he was when he spoke. But then she stuck to her plan and regained her composure.

"Well, you must at least know that you won't be able to keep me here for long. It won't take much time for the people who care about me to figure out where I am and go after you."

The thought of that made him flash her a crooked smile. "That's the whole point." He finally got up off the bed and stood facing her. "Now as much as I would love to continue basking in our little reunion, I really must be going. It's time to execute the next stage of my plan." With that he turned and walked out of the room.

Chloe was left again to be alone with her thoughts. And all she could think about was she was now more confused than when she woke up. She had no information that would currently be helpful to her. And more importantly, seeing Lex again made her feel more nervous and exhilarated than she had felt in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tess made what seemed to be the longest drive in history as she headed home. She hated being on the road when she was this emotional. It could be potentially fatal, as her patience was frequently tested by the other drivers.

However, once she stepped into her office, she wished she would have stayed on the road forever.

Lex Luthor was seated behind what used to be his own desk. As soon as he saw her, he gave her a sly smile and stood up, walking toward her. "Bet you thought you were rid of me," he remarked, grin still plastered on his face.

Tess sighed internally. As if things couldn't get any worse. She had everyone she knew not believing her, hating her in fact. And now someone whom she had thought she had been, to quote his own words, "rid of", well, that was just icing on the cake.

"What do you want, Lex?" she said, not bothering to hide the fact that she was tired and upset.

"Well, good to see you too," Lex replied sarcastically. "If you don't mind, I'd rather skip the small talk and get straight to business."

"I'm not in the mood to deal with your schemes, Lex," she shot back.

"Oh, but I can tell you'll be dying to get involved in this one," he stated. "Let's just say justice will be served to the people who have wronged us."

"Why should I trust you?" she asked blatantly. "You wronged me along with everybody else."

He came to stand on the side of her, and put his hand on her shoulder. "In case you've forgotten, Ms. Mercer, that's why we made such a good pairing before. Both burned by the opposite sex and abandoned by virtually everyone we had ever been close to." He began to run his hand up and down her back. "finding comfort in each other."

"It didn't mean anything," Tess noted, inching away from his touch. "I thought I loved you, but you were just a way to ease the ache I felt. And I will never trust anything you say or do ever again."

"Oh, there has to be a way," Lex argued confidently. "After all, what do you have to live for? People who should be your friends don't trust or believe you. You're all alone, trying to do the right thing but having no one on your side. That's got to hurt. Especially when it comes to Oliver Queen."

He placed emphasis on her former boyfriend's name, and when he did, she immediately shot a glance at him. "Don't you dare do anything to Oliver."

Her threat was fierce, and Lex was glad of it. "Ah, there it is," he smiled. "So you do have a weak spot." She tried to look away, but he just came closer and closer to her face. "I know how much it must hurt to see him with Chloe. Believe me, I've been there. Seeing the one you love happy with someone else, when they left you because you weren't enough."

Tears began to form in her eyes, but when Lex saw this he was planning only to feed off of her emotions even more. "But you see, Tess, this is why this alliance is so perfect. We're one in the same. Why should we be left alone and labeled the villain by the people who destroyed us? Why should they be happy and carefree, while we are left to crumble in the dust and suffer?"

He had tuned into her feelings perfectly. What was the point in trying to do good anymore? No one believed her when she did. Least of all Oliver. She might as well live up to their expectations now.

Lex must have been reading into her thoughts, for he came up to her ear to play off of them. "Come on, Tess," he whispered. "You'll feel better in the end. Vindicated."

_Damn Lex Luthor_, she thought to herself. _Always persuasive_. He made a valid argument, she had nothing to lose anymore. So she may as well take a risk.

"You win," she said, defeated. "What can I do?"

* * *

When Lex left his old home, Tess was left in deep thought. Had she merely acted on impulse? Would this blow up in her face like Checkmate? Or maybe, just maybe, someone would understand once she explained to them that Lex is the culprit they were looking for and they would apologize. Wishful thinking, probably. But Clark had to at least believe her. After all, she nearly died fighting on his side. That had to earn some points with him.

She knew going back to Watchtower would be like walking into a death trap, so she decided to give Clark a call and ask if he could meet her at the coffee shop across the street from The Daily Planet. He agreed, and showed up only a minute after she did.

"Thanks for meeting with me," she said warmly. "I'm guessing there's no new information on Chloe?"

"No, not that we could find," he said awkwardly, taking a seat across from her at the table.

She hesitated out of nerves to tell him what she needed to. "I think I may have some," she said after a bit. "And I knew if anyone would believe me, you would. That's why I only wanted to meet with you."

Clark tried his best not to be skeptical. "What is it?" he asked.

"Ok, what I am about to tell you is going to sound insane and not even possible, but I swear, it's the truth," she said, on the verge of pleading. She took a deep breathe and just let the words come out. "It's Lex. He's alive and he's the one who has Chloe."

Clark's eyes became wide at her revelation. He certainly was not expecting that. There was just no way it could be true. "Lex? Lex is dead," he stated matter-of-factly.

"No," Tess was really pleading with him now, "no he's not. Believe me Clark, I saw him. I talked to him."

"I wanted to trust you," Clark said after a moment. "I truly believe that you were trying to do the right thing. But now, you're just trying to take advantage of that. What do you take me for?"

"Clark, I'm not trying to make a fool out of you," she said. He just stood blankly at her, not wanting to be harsh, but not wanting to fully give in. When she saw this she wanted to burst out in tears. "You know, I don't know what else I have to do, Clark. I fought Zod and basically died in the process, all to protect you . And all I wanted was to be cut some slack. I know what I'm saying sounds crazy, but please, believe me."

He just stared at her again, with those hopeless eyes that said he cared, but she didn't stand a chance. "I've always thought so highly of you, Clark," she said. "But now, I see why Lex has the animosity he does toward you. You may be the hero, but sometimes you fail at seeing the best in people." With that, she got up and walked away from the table.

* * *

Clark wanted to be alone with his thoughts after that, so he headed to his loft. He hated what had just happened with Tess, but it just couldn't be possible. Lex was gone. And as he sat up in his loft, a place where he had spent many moments with his former best friend, he was saddened by this fact. Mostly because of all of the regret he had. Regret that he was never really there for Lex. That he never told or showed him how much he cared. Clark knew that abandoning Lex lead him to go down the dark path he had taken, which eventually lead to his death. And ever since then, Clark wanted to see the best in people and help them redeem themselves whenever he saw fit. Because that was also part of being a hero.

As he was deep in his thoughts, he was distracted by his girlfriend coming up the stairs.

"Hey, Smallville," she said brightly. "I thought I'd find you here."

When he only returned her greeting with a small smile, she grew worried and sat down next to him. "Look, we'll find Chloe. Ollie and the rest of the League are still on it as we speak."

"It's not just that," he explained. "I just met with Tess. She tried to tell me that Lex is the one that has Chloe."

"Seriously? Lex? Who does she think she's fooling?"

"That's what I asked her. I mean, part of me wishes it was true. If Lex was alive, I would be the friend I wasn't before."

"Clark, you can't dwell on the past," she comforted, putting her arm around him. "You can just learn from it."

"And I'm trying," he said. "But I just can't believe Tess."

"Yeah, well, I'll give you that one," she agreed. "I mean, this isn't The Sixth Sense. She can't see dead people."

Clark couldn't help but smile. Leave it to Lois to lighten up the mood. He looked up at her, still smiling. "You know," he said, grabbing her hand, "I'm so glad I have you. You always make me feel better when I'm down and have the weight of the world on my shoulders."

"Well, that's my job. Especially since I know now exactly all you do for the world."

"And I'm glad you've accepted all of that," he said, pulling her in for a kiss.

* * *

Lex made it back to the island and found Chloe rearranging the furniture in her room.

"Well, I see you've found a way to pass the time," he said, amused.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I have anywhere to go," she said, annoyed. "There are guards at every corner. I even counted how many times the fan rotates in a minute."

When Lex said nothing for a few seconds, just stared at her inquisitively, she finished, "114."

He chuckled at her quirky side, which he had always enjoyed about her, when his phone rang. "Excuse me," he said politely, exiting the room.

When he saw who it was, he smiled. "I was hoping it was you," he greeted.

"Don't be so smug," Tess said on the other line. "Just tell me when you want me to do my part."

He smiled. "I knew you would see things my way…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chloe laid on her bed, trying to figure out a way to pass the time. She didn't even know how long she had been on the island, but it seemed forever. And she was not even scared. Just bored out of her mind.

Lex figured just as much, and decided to come up with something. He walked into her room with a box in his hand. When she saw him standing over her bed, she sat up and stared at him, angry and confused. "What is that?" she asked, eyeing the box.

He laughed. "Relax, it's just a chess game," he replied. "I figured you would be getting bored, so I just thought maybe we could start a tournament or something."

"I don't want to play anything with you ," she snapped.

"Well, it beats counting fan rotations," Lex countered. Chloe thought on that for a minute, then said quietly, "I don't even know how to play."

Lex smiled at that. "Then I'll teach you."

Chloe gave in and stood up while Lex set up the game on a small table in the corner of the room. "So how come you've never played chess with Queen? I know it's a game of intellect with complex strategies, but still-"

"Ollie is plenty smart," Chloe said defensively. "And we find other….activities to do." she finished awkwardly.

Lex was silent for a moment, not showing his disgust. "How charming," he then said.

Out of much desire to change the subject, Lex decided to start the game. "Well, first off," he started to explain once they were both seated, and he began to explain every direction each piece moves in. He then proceeded to explain many moves and strategies he knew, and all the while Chloe couldn't help but stare at him intently. How could he be so callous of the fact he was keeping her prisoner here? He was acting as if they were merely two close friends enjoying a game of chess.

They started the first game, Lex helping Chloe along if she was unsure on her move.

"So, um," she asked awkwardly at one point, picking up one of her pawns, "can I move this here?" she pointed to a square on the board.

Lex laughed in amusement. "That would not be beneficial for you," he responded. "I could just take it."

"Oh," she said, slightly embarrassed.

"Here," he said, taking the hand that held the pawn, "why don't you move it here?" he placed her hand over a different place on the board and she set down the pawn. But when she did, he kept her hand there. She just stared into his eyes at this, as his bored into hers, and they just stood there frozen in that position for a moment.

"Well, um" she said, looking down at the ground, "thanks."

He smiled slightly at her. "You're welcome."

Lex had won the first game. However, Chloe was prepared to fight and make a come back by winning the next one.

Lex was astounded by what he could only assume was beginner's luck as Chloe graced her way across the game board, capturing black piece by black piece.

Finally, she came out victorious. "Checkmate," she said with a smirk, staring right at him. "Looks like we're tied."

Lex stared at the board, dumbfounded. "How?-"

"I may have bent the truth a little about my past experience with chess," she explained, grin still in place.

Lex leaned back in his chair, propped his right arm up, and set his chin on his hand. He stared at her. He did love a good challenge. And one was brewing at that very moment. "Well, that makes things interesting," he said, leaning in. "Let's have a tiebreaker. If you win, I'll let you go."

Chloe laughed in disbelief. "Yeah, sure."

Lex pretended to be hurt. "Really. I'm a man of my word."

Chloe did not see the point of arguing. "Ok. And if you win?"

"It's simple," he said, not hiding his delight. "You have dinner with me tonight."

If that was all he wanted, Chloe saw no harm. If she had to be stuck here for who knows how long, she may as well pass the time with company. She folded her arms and stared at him. "Fine," she agreed. "Let's play."

* * *

Out of hurt and anger, Tess no longer hesitated to do what Lex asked of her. On the contrary, as soon as they hung up she headed over to the LuthorCorp lab to get straight to work.

Per Lex's instructions she was to spy on Oliver, retrieving as much information as she could for Lex. At first this make her insides knot up, not wanting to give Oliver another chance to not trust her. But he would not trust her even if she deserved it.

She walked into the LuthorCorp/Queen Industries headquarters. She was rummaging through Oliver's personal files and saw that his computer was sitting on a desk. She held the files in her hand, hesitating to open them. Then her phone rang.

She had a bad feeling who it may be. "Hello?" she answered reluctantly.

"Well, that's not the tone to take with the only person who is on your side," he answered on the other end.

She sighed. "What do you want Lex?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were performing your duties."

"I have some of Oliver's personal files in my hands," she replied quietly, staring down at her hands.

"Well, anything interesting?"

She hesitated before answering him. "No. It's a dead end."

Lex knew she was bluffing, and called her on it. "You know, it would be better to tell me you didn't want to team up with me, than for me to find out you're lying."

Her heart rate started to increase. "I'm not-"

"Because I have other means of extracting the information I need from Queen," he threateningly cut her off. "And you know I don't make empty threats."

"Ok, ok," she caved immediately.

She could hear the tone of his smirk through his voice. "Good. Now, what is there around you?"

"There's a computer," she answered, walking toward it and sitting down at the desk.

"Alright. See what kind of files he may have in there."

She went to obey, only to face the obstacle of a beeping sound and flashing box.

"You need a password," she explained, sounding like she was giving up.

"Well, that shouldn't stop you," he encouraged. "You know Queen well enough. I'm sure you can figure it out."

She stared at the screen, hesitating on trying out the obvious guess.

"Come on, Tess," he pushed, seeming to be reading her mind. "I know this is hard. He's moved on. But just remember how good it'll feel in the end."

She let out a deep breathe and typed it in slowly. CHLOE. But then the screen just responded with the words ACCESS DENIED. Her heart couldn't help but be lifted.

"It's not his password," she whispered to herself. Then she went back to talking to Lex. "Look, maybe he has a nickname for her or something. I have no idea what that could be."

"Well, just think of any possible passwords he would use. Don't give up just yet." Lex felt a rush of gladness too at knowing that Chloe's name was not his password, and he couldn't quite figure out why….

She thought for a second and kept going back to nicknames. Nickname….no…it couldn't be…he wouldn't use that, would he?

Still, it was worth a shot. She typed in the word MERCY, and let out a gasp when the screen flashed, in big bold letters, ACCESS GRANTED.

"I figured it out," she said in delight, not really at her victory, but at what she just realized.

"Good," Lex said. "Look through there and report what you find directly to me," he said, and hung up.

Tess put her phone down and sat frozen in place. How could she do this now? Obviously Oliver still felt something for her. But how? That did not matter. What did matter was that he had clearly not moved on yet. She could not betray him ever again. She would gain his trust back, so that maybe he would be able to love her again. And this time, she was not going to be afraid of opening up. She would just have to figure out how to stand up to Lex.

All of these thoughts were running through her mind when someone walked right up next to her. And all they saw was her, sitting at a computer. To them, it was very suspicious.

"Tess?" Oliver asked when he saw the position she was in. "What the hell are you doing?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After for what seemed to be ages of concentration and anxiety, the game was over. And as much as Chloe tried to outwit Lex so she could force him to live up to his end of the bargain, she was no match for him. Now that Lex knew of her past history with chess, he had upped the ante.

He chuckled when he realized his victory. "Checkmate." he said, wearing a smug grin.

"What!" Chloe exclaimed, baffled. "But I … " she began, retracing her moves.

"Don't feel bad, Chloe," Lex said. "I'm just more….experienced."

"Yeah, I guess I don't stand much of a chance when it comes to playing against you," she said, slumping down into her chair.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"What I mean is you always have something up your sleeve. Some kind of hidden tactic or agenda, so of course it wouldn't be that easy for me to get out of here."

Lex smiled and stood up. "I'll see you tonight then." he walked out of the room.

* * *

Later on the same guard who came in when Chloe first woke up entered her room. He had a white garment bag and held it out to her.

"Mr. Luthor requests that you wear this to dinner tonight," he explained in the same phlegmatic tone as before. She walked toward him and took the bag.

When the guard left she opened the bag to reveal the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It was purple satin, with black beads going all down it in an elegant pattern. She ran her hand down it to feel the material when she realized there was a note taped to it. She took it off and it read:

_Your shoes and accessories are in the box in the closet. I will see you soon._

_-LL_

"How sneaky," Chloe said curiously to herself. She then walked over to the closet on the other side of the room and opened the door. There on the floor was a single square wooden box. She picked it up, set it on the bed, and opened it. Inside was a pair of simple two-inch black heals, with a thin strap and tiny rhinestones going across the buckle. They laid on top of a blue velvet jewelry box. Chloe opened the box up, and was in awe of what it revealed. There was a diamond bracelet on a platinum chain, platinum diamond studded earrings, and a sterling silver necklace on a fine chain.

Chloe got dressed, but did not know where to go after that. She had yet to go beyond the bedroom door since she had arrived there. After a couple moments hesitation she decided to take her chances and opened it. The guard was on the other side with his back facing toward her, and when he heard the door open he turned to face her.

"I see you are ready," he said. "Follow me."

She did as she was told and he lead her down a long narrow hallway. From what she could see of the house it was beautiful. She was lead past an entryway with a large crystal chandelier and then they hit the dining room. There was a long wooden table with two place settings on either end. There were candles lit in the middle and the food was already set out. There was a champagne glass at each setting and a bottle chilling in a bucket off to the side.

Lex was waiting at his place at the table when they arrived. He was wearing an all black suite, with a black shirt underneath complete with a black tie. When he saw them he stood up and walked over to them.

"I'm glad you could join me," he said.

"Yeah well, I didn't have much choice, did I?" Chloe shot back.

Lex laughed a little. "You may go now," he said to the guard. He nodded and walked away.

Lex turned back to Chloe and smiled. "Let's eat," he said , motioning with one hand to the table.

She walked over to her place and went to pull the chair out, but Lex was one step ahead of her. He waited until she sat down and pushed her seat in for her.

"You look beautiful tonight, by the way," he commented, from which Chloe made no external response, though inside she was blushing.

Lex took the bottle of champagne from the bucket and opened it. He poured a glass each for them. Then he walked over to a fancy pot in the middle of the table. It was filled with soup. He served them each a bowl.

"You know," Chloe said as she watched him, "I can serve myself."

He put the ladle that was in his hand down and looked directly at her. "Now where's the fun in that? You are, after all, my guest."

"Guest?" Chloe exclaimed. "I'm your prisoner!"

He set her bowl back in front of her, still not looking away from her face. "Enjoy," he said.

He sat back down took his utensils from inside the napkin. Chloe followed suite. She took off the holder, which she could only assume was real silver, to reveal a fork and spoon. When she looked over at Lex, however, she saw that he also had a knife at his end.

"Um, Lex, how come I didn't get a knife?" she inquired in a confused tone.

He looked up at her. "Well now, I can't have you trying anything funny now, can I?" he explained.

She sighed and picked up her spoon. "Do you always answer a question with a question?" she asked, irritated.

He smiled. "I didn't know it bothered you."

"I just would like some real answers around here," she said, beginning to eat.

Lex stopped eating once she said this and stared at her, fascinated. "Here's an answer for you. If you're wondering who prepared this eloquent meal tonight, the answer is," he leaned back and gestured to himself, "you're looking at him."

Chloe laughed at this. "No way. You probably have a staff of chefs in the kitchen." Then she got an idea. "I'm going to go check," she threatened, getting up. Upon doing so he grabbed her wrist. They stood there for a moment staring at each other, then Lex quickly let go and cleared his throat. They both sat down.

"What I meant by that was, you're right. I do have a staff. But I knew this would be a special dinner with you tonight, and I wanted to flaunt my culinary skills."

"Well, I think I'll need more silverware for you to do that," she commented, moving on to the steak in front of her.

Lex laughed lightly. "Here," he said, holding out his hand for her to hand him her plate.

"Oh, no," Chloe responded. "I am not a child. I just won't eat it, thank you." she pushed her plate away from her.

She finished her soup shortly after that, and then ate some salad and potatoes, but she still was hungry. She eyed her steak, trying to keep her will power. Lex was making it hard, though, as purposefully he ate every bite of his with gusto. She just sat there, and later rendered that pointless. She made to leave, but he would not have it.

"Where are you going?" he asked harshly.

"Well, I'm obviously done with dinner, so why stay? It's not like I enjoy the company," she said, and attempted to finish her exit. He stopped her again, though, by standing up ad grabbing her by the arm.

"You know, this harassment thing is getting really out of hand," she said.

"Well, then just cooperate and it will longer be necessary," he commented.

She struggled for a few more seconds, then decided to take action. She eyed the knife that was still by Lex's plate, swiftly snatched it, and tried to pull it on him. They continued to struggle for a minute until he tripped back onto his seat, her following right on his lap. When this happened he was able to grab the knife out of her hand and threw it on the table. They were both gasping for breath, his hand still on her arm, her still on his lap.

He smiled through his labored breathing. "If you wanted to sit on my lap Chloe, all you had to do was ask," he smirked.

She let out a disgusted grunt and pulled away, accepting defeat. She sat back down in her own chair and folded her arms. After a short while of her looking down, Lex asked, "What?"

She continued looking, and Lex knew just what was going through her mind. He sighed , picked up her plate and fork, and began cutting her steak.

* * *

"Oliver," Tess said, surprised.

"Now I know you're up to something. What are you doing snooping around through my personal files?"

"Oliver, I can explain," she said, standing up.

"Don't bother, Tess. You can't talk your way out of this one."

Tess could feel her eyes start to water. "Look Oliver, I know you don't trust me. And I can't say that I blame you. But I swear I am not guilty of everything you think I am."

"I don't want to listen to your excuses, ok? I've caught you right in the act."

Tess looked down at the ground, then stared Oliver in the face. "You know what, Oliver, believe what you want. I can't convince you."

"You're right. I can never believe what comes out of your mouth again."

"Well if you hate me so much, why is your password my nickname?" she snapped impulsively.

Oliver stood frozen for a second, then asked, "What?"

Tess caught her and said in a low voice, "I figured out your password. Mercy. If I'm as horrible as you seem to think I am, then why did you choose that?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Tess. That thing's back from when you first came back into my life and I thought we were going to reconnect. There's no way to change it, it needs to stay secure."

Tess tried not to look as hurt as she felt.

"My mistake," she said, and she walked out.

When she left, Oliver was overcome with a rush of nostalgia. He thought back to when things were better between him and Tess….a time he wished he could go back to.

_They walked along the biggest beach in Santorini hand in hand, both staring at the sunset and enjoying one another's company._

_He had stopped abruptly, however, when the light from the sunset off the water caught her bare shoulders. He ran his free hand on one. _

"_What?" she asked. _

"_Nothing," he responded, smiling. "I just love your freckles."_

_She smiled and laughed timidly in response, and they kept on walking. _

"_So, have you forgiven me yet for spilling water on you this afternoon?"_

"_I may just torture you for a bit first." She stopped in her tracks and leaned in to kiss them, then pulled back right as he could feel her warm sweet breath against his lips. _

"_Wow," he choked. "You really show no mercy." Then a thought hit him, and he stared at her for a second. "Mercy." he said, uttering his nickname for her for the first time. _

_She stared at him confused. "What do you mean?"_

"_It fits you. Mercy."_

"_Oh," she said, thinking on it. "I like it too."_

_They resumed their walk once more. "But you know, I wouldn't have to stoop to such levels if you weren't such a complete clutz."_

"_What can I say?" he said. "I guess you just make me nervous."_

_She turned to look at him, and he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. _

Oliver shivered inside at the sweet memory of something that was so long passed. Now him and Tess had done nothing but hurt each other and would never be even close to where they were. They were two totally different people who no longer fit. He was not proud of being the catalyst in the current distance between him and Tess. For making her as hardened as she was. And now was acting against him once more, and he would not stand for it this time.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

_As frantic as she was, she knew Lex would be on her case if she did not report back immediately. So she stopped her sniffles in their tracks and pulled out her phone. _

_Lex's phone rang from his jacket pocket and he pulled it out. "Excuse me a moment," he said, and walked out of the dining room, Chloe following him with her eyes, intrigued. She wished then that she had the super hearing ability of her Kryptonian best friend. _

"_I hope you have something interesting," Lex said as soon as he read the caller id. "I was in the middle of something important."_

"_Oliver walked in," she explained. "I didn't have a chance to look any further."_

_He sighed on the other end, which worried Tess. "I hope you're not going to back out of our deal, Ms. Mercer, because I think you know what'll happen."_

"_No, of course not," she said. "You're the only one on my side, who understands," she continued sincerely. _

"_Good," he said. "Now try again." he demanded and hung up. _

_Tess could not believe that her life had come down to this. She wanted to do good in the world. Now the only person who knew how she felt was this man she thought she loved who was using her to hurt the only man she truly loved. A man who thought of her now as just something from his past. A memory fading away. Someone who she gave no reason to be faithful to, and who left her without so much as a second glance….._

_She remembered that day so vividly... _

_She had come home one night to the most horrific sight she could imagine: Oliver in the bed they shared with the waitress from the restaurant they had dinner at the night before. That blonde, leggy, gorgeous waitress with the full lips and even fuller figure. _

_Her and Oliver locked eyes once she stepped in the doorway, both afraid of being in that moment, hearts thumping full force. Tess wanted to yell at him at the top of her lungs, but when she began to speak, she felt her throat tighten, unable to form any words. So she instead walked back to her car. She put her hand on the door handle and thought of her current mental state and the people she could potentially endanger because of it. "Too dangerous," she thought to herself, and decided that traveling on foot would be the best way to clear her head. She would face Oliver after, once she had cooled down and formed what she wanted to say. _

_It was cold and windy outside, but in a way Tess was glad for it. If she became numb on the outside, maybe she would become numb on the inside too. The cold air hitting her face as she walked added to the sniffling that was already taking place. At first her paces started out forceful and with a purpose, but after a bit they slowed down, her energy draining and her rage being replaced with sadness and disappointment. _

_She found a nearby park and sat on the bench to do both some thinking and some crying. There were so many emotions flooding through her at the moment, she could not keep up. She was angry, of course. Scared for what was going to happen if the future she can been planning on blew up in smoke. But mostly, she was sad. Sad that what she felt to be her one chance to be happy was gone. Sad that she had finally found someone who would love her forever, and whom she could love in return. But now it was apparent that she was not good enough. _

_She looked up from her seat at the trees. As they swayed with the wind, she hoped that they would give her some answers along with the noises of the cold air and rustling leaves. She tried to focus on the lone swing that was rocking and creaking in a very eerie way, but one part of what she was feeling was sticking with her the most. The part that told her she would never be good enough for anyone's love. It was when she realized this that she began to return back to her home, prepared now to face Oliver with this fact. Facing that they were just never meant to be. _

_She walked back into the apartment she shared with Oliver. A home that was now a lie. A home that now no longer housed Oliver's belongings, as he had packed them all away after she walked out. When she saw this, she had expected to find at the very least a letter explaining what had happened. But there was nothing, no trace of him whatsoever. It was as if he had never lived there. That stung worse than the thought of him with another woman. That he would just pack up and leave, not wanting to face her or even try to apologize, and leave without a trace as if what they had had together was nothing. She wondered what would have happened if she had stayed. Part of her hoped that he would have tried to explain things and later on they would have been okay. But the other part, the more dominant one, knew better. She would have been crushed to a million tiny pieces after him talking, instead of just coming home to an empty apartment. It really would not have made much difference, she had maxed out the limit of love in her life either way, and there was no point in hoping otherwise. And suddenly, the mixture of feelings she had experienced only a short while before came rushing back, and she just stood up against the wall, slid to the floor, and wept in a way of release. _

As she thought about the way she felt back then, the tears returned. All of her life, she had never experienced a lot of love. But that was the defining moment for her. The moment she walked in on Oliver and the waitress was the moment she realized that she would never have it, because even when she had opened herself up to the idea of it, it turned out she was not worth the trouble.

* * *

If Oliver was honest with himself, he would have to admit that there was a moment after he watched Tess storm out that he wanted to run after her and apologize. But he just turned back to his computer, reminded of what she was about to do. He sat down at his desk and locked his eyes on the screen, her words still ringing through his ear. _"…if you hate me so much…" …. "If I'm as horrible as you seem to think I am…" _He could not believe he had caused her to think that. Sure he was upset with her, and he surely didn't trust her, especially after what he just saw. But hatred…that was just so strong. The fact that she thought he felt that towards her made him mad with himself. There was only one other time he ever felt that low about himself…

_The look on her face made his heart feel like …well he could not explain it. It went beyond the feeling you get inside of you when you just realized you were in trouble or something went wrong. But this, this went far beyond that, beyond something he could ever conceive of feeling. _

_He stared at the door even moments after she had shut it. Then he turned to the woman lying in the bed with him. He felt utterly disgusted with what he had just done, and simply gave her a blank stare and got out of the bed. "You need to leave," he said flatly. _

"_Hey listen, this is your own drama pal. Don't try to pin it all on me," she said, sitting up. _

"_Look , I just need to figure this out," he said, now frantic. "Please, just go." _

_The waitress stared at him for a second. "Fine," she said. As she walked past him she whispered in his ear, "If you ever get lonely, you know where to find me." _

_Oliver never made eye contact with her as she exited. When he heard the front door shut he sat down on the bed, grabbing at his hair with both hands and letting out a frustrated sigh. _

_He knew he had blown it. Tess had been everything he wanted and needed, and he loved being everything she needed. Or at least, trying to be. As much as he wanted to follow her, wherever she went, he knew it wouldn't be for the best. He vowed to her when they first met he would change once they left the island, and he had just broken that vow. You know what they say, once a player, always a player. Even when they finally find the right one, the one that makes them think that they could never want anyone else, they find a way of screwing it up out of fear. He had now become a walking cliché, and Tess deserved better than that._

_He sat up again and scanned the apartment. The home that him and Tess were planning on starting their lives in. Now, he had tainted that forever. He took out all of his bags and suitcases and began absent-mindedly throwing all of his belongings into them. When that was done, he went to the desk to take out a piece of paper, but stopped when his hand was on the handle. He wanted to apologize to Tess, definitely. He wanted to write her a letter explaining his departure, that he felt it would be best for her if they didn't even try to get past this, whether she wanted to or not. More importantly, he wanted to tell her that no matter what she may believe, he had always loved her, and he always would, and these strong feelings scared him and caused him to make this horrid mistake. But he took another scan around the room, and felt it was best left that way, without a trace of him there. Tess would get over it in time, once the pain went away. She would eventually find someone who would treat her the way she deserved to be treated, and eventually he would only be a distant memory to her. So once all of his bags were out, he left his home with a heavy heart, not daring to look back.

* * *

_

Lex walked back into the dining room and sat back down. "Sorry about that," he said politely, looking directly at Chloe as she ate her ice cream.

Chloe forcefully put her spoon down in the bowl, finished. She crossed her arms and laid them on the table, staring directly across at Lex. "Lana always said you were quite the gentleman," she said, still studying him.

At the mention of Lana's name, Lex looked down at the floor. Chloe could sense she had hit a nerve, and suddenly felt for Lex. She could tell he sincerely was hurt by her drudging up old memories. Though he had caused a lot of pain to her friend, and Chloe had thought him a monster since before then, she realized that maybe there was still some goodness in Lex. The goodness that she saw back in her Torch days at Smallville High.

Chloe was unsure of how Lex would react if she said anything, so she just remained silent in her seat. After a moment, Lex looked back up at her and gave her a small half smile. He sat up out of his seat and stood next to hers, offering her his arm.

She looked up at him. "What are you doing?" she asked, unsure of how she should react.

"Being a gentelman," he stated, like it was obvious. "You're finished, right?" He asked, gesturing to her now empty plate and bowl. "So after a man and a woman have had dinner, it's only proper that the man escorts the woman out of the establishment and back home."

"Or in my case, a prison cell," Chloe shot back, the same feelings from before creeping their way back.

"I hardly call your room a prison cell, Chloe," he laughed, arm still out.

Chloe sighed, rolled her eyes, and stood up to hold on to his arm.

They made their way back to Chloe's room in silence. When they reached the door Lex put his hand on the handle, leaning in front of Chloe. After he opened the door his face was so close to hers she could feel his breathe. She panted a bit at this, then gained composure and stared at him and said haughtily, "I hope you're not expecting a good night kiss."

Lex chuckled. "Well, you've already been in my lap tonight. I think that's far enough for a first date." He gestured to her to enter the room, and she did, turning around in the doorway to look at him. He had turned to walk away, then turned around. "After all, I am a gentleman." He gave her a small smirk. "Good night, Chloe," he finished, and resumed his exit, leaving her standing in the doorway shaking her head.

* * *

Chloe shut the door and changed back into her regular clothes. She walked into the closet to put everything away, and when she kicked the box that had her shoes up against the wall, something caught her eye. The part of the wall the box had hit suddenly pushed opened, revealing a sliver of black . Chloe went to investigate further, pushing the wall to open it wider, and discovered it was some sort of passage. There was just a dark, narrow abyss of hallway ahead, leading to where, she did not know. She did, however, know Lex. She knew how clever he was, and if there was a secret passage in her room, he must have a reason. May it was a trap, maybe it was bugged, but whatever the reason she knew it would not mean an easy escape for her. Lex was no fool. Still, her inquisitive nagged her to check it out. She proceeded to walk through the small passageway, her heart beating rapidly with each step, unsure of where she was heading. The trek seemed to be taking far longer than it probably was because it was pitch black. She held her hand out in front of her to feel when she came to a dead end, and she knew she had finally reached the other end of the passage when her hand had walked had pushed another opening open and she fell face first on the floor.

She looked up and discovered she was in a bedroom much bigger than her one, and even more ornate. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace, and purples, grays, and blues all throughout the room. She recognized the combination of the colors, and realized then just whose room she must be in. She was just about to get up and walk out when someone came up from the side, grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her up.

She had come face to face with Lex's stone cold eyes, piercing through her like a dagger. She suddenly grew afraid and began to struggle in his grasp, but he was too strong for her.

He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. "Going somewhere?"


End file.
